by Annabelle Landa

"Do as I say, not as I do. I am a great coach for other athletes, but a bad coach for myself."

These were the words written in an article by Steve Larson, world mountain bike champion and triathlete extraordinaire.

As a seasoned triathlete, marathoner, ultra runner, and trainer, this statement hits very close to home for me. Many of my friends, family, and fellow athletes are often amazed at how much training I can do during a day, a week, a weekend, or month. They also often encourage me to take a day to rest, relax, and let my body recover. However, I, much like Steve Larson, am great about coaching other athletes to succeed and reach their goals, but can be pretty hard on myself when it comes to my own training schedule.

I can see the big picture much better when I train others. I set weekly schedules for other athletes that always include a "rest day." I encourage my clients to rest, refuel, and be good to their bodies. Maybe take that day to sit by the pool, get a massage, or just do nothing at all.

I understand that the most difficult thing to follow in your training schedule is the "rest day." We very easily follow the runs, rides, swims, and weight training sessions because we love to sweat. We proudly talk about the hard training days, the long training days, the brick workouts, and so on and so forth. These are the days that we feel a great sense of accomplishment. But tell me how often you brag about taking that much needed "rest day," the day where you let your body recover, repair, and breathe. Probably not often huh?

I have never met a fellow athlete who feels proud of his or her "rest day." Many of us think, that as a triathlete, we can do it all - all of the time. We tend to think that the "rest day" doesn't apply to us. Well, whether you are training for a sprint distance triathlon or an Ironman, rest and recovery is crucial to your success.

On a personal level, I have learned how important rest and recovery is the hard way. As long as I do not rest, I will not be able to complete the high intensity sessions. I may get sick or injured and be unable to perform on race day.

So, my dear triathletes, look at your schedules and make sure that you have your "rest day" included. Love your body and allow it to rest and recover. As triathletes, we struggle to find balance between home, work, family, friends, runs, rides, swims and the list just goes on and on.

Give it a try and rest - just do nothing! At the end of the day, you will see your race times improve and your mind and body will love you for it. If your having a difficult time fitting that "rest day" into your schedule, just remember to keep yourself focused on the upcoming race day.

It is very easy to train day in and day out, following the schedules of your fellow athletes. Remember to follow your own schedule and listen to your body instead of your peers. No athlete is alike, therefore each recovers differently depending on age, athletic background, and fitness level.

So next time that you see "rest day" on your schedule, you should feel a sense of accomplishment instead of a sense of weakness. Get stronger, feel stronger, race stronger - rest.

Next time, I will talk about indoor training alternatives such as treadmills, spinning, bands, functional training and more to help you get the best workout for your time.